Powder container



April 26, 1932. G, ,gL Tz 1,855,399

POWDER CONTAINER Filed Nov.28, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l I kin 5% /7/ April26, 1932. G. 'KLCTZ 8 5,3

POWDER CONTAINER Filed Nov.28 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' 92, M awe/WPatented Apr. 26, 1932 PATENT OFFICE GEORGES KLOTZ, OF PARIS, FRANCErownnn GONTAINER' Application filed November 28, 1930, Serial No.498,842, and in France December 2, 1929.

This invention relates to powder containers such as vanity cases and thelike, and has for its object to rovide a device of this class which isadapte to discharge a small amount of powder at-a time without danger ofcompacting the powder and without recourse to springs or other meanscommonly used-for compressing the powder, whereby an advantageoussimplicity of construction and reduction in cost results.

The use of loose powder in vanity cases is preferable to the use of cakepowder because the adhesive used for cake powder sometimes causes hardparticles of, adhesive to get mixed "it ith the powder on thepufl andscratch the face.

Many attempts have been made to dispense loose powder so that it willneither cake nor discharge in excess.

One form of loose powder dispenser contemplates the use of a spring orother means to apply pressure to the powder to compress the same. Thistype dispenser can be provided with suitable shutters to guard againstaccidental discharge of powder when not in use, but unless carefullymade such type may result in the powder being compressed in unagitatedportions of the powder body to an extent sufiicient to impede feed ofthe powder 39 throu h any delivery perforations.

Un er this invention the free dischar e of a small amount of powder isinsured wit out recourse to springs or other mechanism for 1 Referringto the drawings, Fig. 1 illustrates one embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side viewofa modified constructiOn.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a section onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fi 6 illustrates another embodiment of this invention. p r Fig. 7 is asection on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. Sis a section on the line 88 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 shows a container of the type shown by Fig. 6 which is providedwith a modified type of powder discharge means.

Fig. v10 is a section on the line 1010 of Fig. 9. (i

he embodiment illustrated in Figs-1 and 2 comprises an annular boxdhaving a central cavity or well 2 in which the powder puff is carried.Closing the top of the well is a hinged cover 3 which may be providedwith a snap fastener or other type locking device not illustrated.

Surrounding the well or recess 2 is the 3.111

nular powder compartment 4 containing loose powder which is separatedfromthe well 2 by the wall illustrated containing perforations 5adjacent the bottom of the well.

From Fig. 1 it will be seen the metallic bottom 8 of the well is asmooth puif wiping surface integral with the metal forming the annularcompartment 4:. The bottom mem- F ber 6 is made movable with respect tothe metal member forming the well and compartment sides and comprises anupstanding annular flange 7 projecting into and constituting the bottomof the compartment 4. The top of the flange 7 is provided with spacedinclined chutes or channeled discharge openings 9 leading to theperforations 5. These chutes are arranged at a convenient angle toenable the loose powder to fall through the perforations 5 when open.Between the perforations the inner face of the flan e 7 constitutes ashutter for closing the per orations upon relative rotation between thebottom 6 and the member forming the compartment and well. Such rotationis limited b pin connection to .be later described in connection withFigs. 3 to 5 inclusive, which slot and pin connection also constitutesthe means for holding the bottom 6 and the superposed metal parttogether. The recessed portion, that is the-member forming the well 2,may also be regarded as the shutter which closes the pow er compartmentby closing the channeled discharge openings 9.

a slot and in number.

In the use the powder dispenser of Fig. 1 is held in the positionillustrated, the cover 3 raised and preferably with the puff removed,the bottom 6 is rotated sufliciently to uncover the perforations 5 farenough to allow the desired amount of powder to enter the well afterwhich the bottom 6 is moved back to its original position, closing theperforations 5 and the puff is then dipped into the well to gather upthe discharged powder. To fill the device of Fig. 1 the cover 3 isclosed and the container inverted with respect to its position shown inFig. 1 when upon rotation of the bottom 6 the pins illustrated onopposite sides of the bottom are disengaged from their slot and thebottom removed. It will then be a simple matte-r to fill the annularcompartment 4 with powder and replace the bottom 6 securing it to therest of the device by said pin and slot connection. Instead of makingthe bottom 6 as thick as illustrated, it may be made of hollow sheetmetal if desired.

In Figs. 3 to 5 is shown an embodiment of the invention in which thepowder dispenser 10 is provided with a powder well 11 and a loose powdercompartment 12 of the same general shape as is shown in the embodimentof Figs. 1 and 2. The wall 13 be-' tween the well 11 and compartment 12is provided with small perforations 14 and a larger number of suchperforations. The bottom 15 is provided with a somewhat similar annularupstanding flange 16 having chutes 17 inclined toward the perforations14 adjacent the bottom 18 of the well. To secure the bottom 15 to thecompartment walls, pins 19 project outwardly from oppo-.

site sides of the bottom for engagement with opposite slots 20 in theouter wall'of the compartment 12 and said slots are open at 21 so thatthe pins 19 may be disengaged from the slots 20 for removal of thebottom and filling of the powder compartment.

Instead of the simple cover of Fig. 1, the cover 22 illustrated in Fig.4 is provided with a receiver 23 for a cake'of material such as rouge orthe like, while a supplemental cover 24 closes the top of this receiver23. Both covers 22 and 24 are preferably hinged at 25 to the main bodyof the container and if desired the two covers maybe yieldably heldclosed or closed by means of some convenient type fastening device notillustrated.

This embodiment of Figs. 3 to;5 is adapted for a smaller discharge ofpowder since the perforations 14 are smaller although larger As before,an inclined chute leads to each perforation and the inner face of theupstanding flange closes the perforation against discharge of excesspowder into the well while the device is being carried.

It will be seen that in either form of the invention the size andspacing of the perforations between the wall and the powder compartmentcontrol the amount of powder which may fall into the well with eachopening. Since there are no springs, screw threads or the like, forcompacting the powder in the compartment, it will generally be found tobe capable of freely falling through the perforations into the well andif such does not happen it is only necessary to lightly tap the sides ofthe powder compartment or the bottom in order to loosen the powdersufficiently to have the desired amount. If desired the bottom 15 may berotated from a closed position through an open position for theperforations and into another closed position or the slot may be oflength sufficient to enable the perforations to be open when the pin isat one end of the slot and closed when the pin is at the other end ofthe slot.

If the powder should compact or stick, instead of lightly tapping thecontainer, it may be desirable to have some convenient type of powderagitating means extend across the powder compartment between the innerand outer walls and adjacent the bottom of the compartment.

In Figs. 6 to 8 is illustrated another embodiment of this invention inwhich the powder compartment 30 is located on only one side of thepowder well 34 so that as the quantity of powder in the compartment 30diminishes the discharge of powder through the wall perforations 33 maybe facilitated by tilting the container in the hand. An advantage ofthis type of construction resides in. the absence of any necessity forthe inclined chutes or bottom portions to the powder compartment whichwere desirable where the compartment surrounded the well on all sides asshown in the preceding figures- The cover 31 for the powder well may behinged to swing about the pivot 32 to provide access to the powder well34. This cover 31 ma carry a cake of rouge 40 or other materials li e alipstick holder. and is preferably provided with an auxiliary cover 41also pivoted at 32. This auxiliary cover might, if desired, be appliedto the opposite side of the cover 31 so that the auxiliary cover couldopen after the main cover 31 had been swung to its open position overthe powder compartment 30. As in Fig. 1, generally no additional wall orcover is needed for the powder wall 34 in addition to the cover 31, -butif desired such might be provided. If the cover 31 were swung about avertical instead of a horizontal pivot to afford access to the powderwell 34, the use of an additional cover or wall for the top of thepowder well might then be preferred.

From Fig. 7 it will be seen that the discharge perforations 33 in thewall between the powder compartment 30 and the powder well 34 are openedand closed by means of a slidable plate shutter 35 having perforations36 in the lower part thereof which are adaptthe disc arge of powder intothe well. The

, verselyO shutter 35 is provided on its upper end with a projectingknob 37 extending through a slot in the top of the powder compartment sothat the per orations 33 may be opened or closed by shifting the knob37. In the position shown in Fig. 8 it will be seen that the erforations33 are closed and in this same figure, on movement of the shutter 35 tothe left the perforations 33 will be open for the discharge of powderwhen brought into registry with the perforations 36 of the shutter. Theshutter is preferably provided with guide. means not shown to retain itcontiguous the wall separating the powder compartment from the powderwell. To reduce the danger of powder leaking through the slot throughwhich the actuating knob 37- projects the body of the shutterimmediately below this slot may be made thicker so as to close this slotat all times against powder leakage. Any convenient type of removableclosure.38 may be provided for the powder compartment and when this islocated asillustrated in Fig. 7 it will not be necessary to invert thepowder dispenser at any time whether for hlling the compartment withpowder or in use. An ordinary pufi is illustrated at 39 within thepowder well for taking up the loose powder discharged by gravitythrouglrthe perforations 33.

Instead of having the shutter 35 transslidable in the manner indicatedit could e made to move up and down to close the perforations by meansof projecting knobs or actuators on the opposite longitudinal sides ofthe container and providedthe lower end portion of the shutter weresharpened and of chisel shape. Where the projecting knob 37 extendsabove the top of the powder compartment to a reater height than thatillustrated, it may lie desirable. to provide theauxi-liary cover 41with a recessed portion to receive this knob 37 when the cover 31 isswung to the left over, and resting on the powder compartment.

In Figs. 9 and 10 is shown a modified type of powder discharging meanswhereby a predetermined or measured amount of powder may be dischargedinto the powder well 34a at each stroke of the shiftable plate shutter35a. A stationary plate 42, provided with perforations 33, is placedcontiguous the perforate portions of the shutter.

In Fig. 10 the perforations 43 of the stationary plate42 are out ofalignment and between the discharge perforations'33a. The shutter 3511has its perforations 3611 so arranged that when the shutter is in theposition illustrated in Fig-1O its perforations 36a register'with theperforations 43 of the stationary plate 42. By shifting the shutter 35ato the left after its perforations 360 have become filled with powder,upon bringing the perforations 36a of the shutter into reg-' istry withthe wall perforations 3311, thepowder contained in the shutterperforationswill be discharged through the wall perfora--' tions 33a.

. In this embodiment it should be understood that the size of theshutter perforations con trols the quantity of powder discharged at eachstroke of the shutter. As illustrated in Fig. 10, these variousperforations should be so arranged that the shutter perforations 36a maybe in an intermediate or mid position between the wall perforations 33aand the stationary plate perforations 43, without having any overlap oraccess to either side of the perforations. Otherwise there would belikely to be less accuracy in the powder'discharge if some of the powdershould be passing out of the shutter perforations and at the same timeother powder entering to displace that discharged. An advantage of theconstruction illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 is the convenience ofproviding a measured powder dis charge without the necessity ofinverting the container at any time. If desired the constructionsillustratedin Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive could likewise have some agitatingmeans extend from the shutter into the powdercom- Y compacted and issubject to substantial agitation as'it is carried and in use.

By the limitation in the claims to the well being below the compartment,a generic con-, struction is referred to and not one which isnecessarilylimited to the bottom of the well being below the bottom ofthe powder compartment but onlybelow the'compartment far enough to allowsome of the powder to be discharged by gravity.

I claim:

1. A powder dispenser comprising a compartment for loose powder, a wellbelow said compartment,'a wall between said-well and compartment andperforated adjacent the bottom of the well whereby loose powder may fallfrom said compartment through the perforated portion of said wall, andmeans extending outside the dispenser and secured thereto for openingand closing the perfo rated portion of the said wall.

2. A powder dispenser comprising a compartment for loose powder, a wellbelow said compartment, a wall hetweensaid well and compartment andperforated adjacent the bottom of the well whereby loose powder may fallfrom said compartment through the perforated portion of said wall, andmeans for opening and closing the perforated portion of the said wall,said last mentioned means being removable and closing the powdercompartment and being movable relative to said wall.

compartment, a wall between said well and compartment and perforatedadjacent the bottom of the well whereby loose powder may fall from saidcompartment through the perforated portion of said wall, and means foropening and closing the perforated porof the compartment bottom betweensaid chutes constituting the closing meansfor said perforate wallportion.

5. A powder dispenser comprising a compartment for loose powder, a wellbelow said compartment, a wall between said well and conipartment andperforated adjacent the bottom of the well whereby loose powder may fallfrom said compartment through the perforated portion of said wall, meansfor opening and closing the perforated portion of the said wall, andmeans for closing each end of the well and compartment, the means forclosing the lower end of the well being inv tegral with the wall and themeans for closing the opposite end of the compartment.

6. A powder dispenser comprising a compartment for loose powder, awellbelow said compartmenfla wall between said well and compartment andperforated adjacent the bottom of the well whereby loose powder may fallfrom said compartment through the perforated portion of said wall, meansfor opening and closing the perforated portion of the said wall, andmeans for closing-each end of the well and compartment, the means forclosing the lower end of the well being integral with the wall and themeans for closing the opposite end of the compartment, the means forclosing the upper end of said well comprising a hinged cover and themeans for closing the lower end of said compartment being integral withsaid closing means for the perforated wall portion.

7. A powder dispenser comprising a compartment for loose powder, a wellbelow said compartment, a wall between said .well and compartment andperforated adjacent the bottom of the well whereby loose powder may fallfrom said compartment through the perforated portion of said wall, meansfor opening and closing the perforated p ortion of the said wall, andmeans for closing each end of the well and compartment, the

means for closing the lower end of the well being integral with the walland the means for closing the opposite end of the compartment, the meansfor closing the upper end of said well comprising a hinged cover and themeans for closing the lower end of said compartment being integral withsaid closing means for the perforated wall portion, said hinged coverincluding a receiver for cake material and a supplemental hinged coverfor said receiver.

8. A powder dispenser comprising a compartment for loose powder, a wellbelow said compartment, a wall between said well and compartment andperforated adjacent the bottom of the well whereby loose powder may fallfrom said compartment through the perforated portion of said wall, meansfor opening and closing the perforated portion of the said wall, andmeans for closing each end of the well and compartment, the means forclosing the lower end of the well being integral with the wall and themeans for, closing the opposite end of the compartment, a bottom forsaid compartment provided with inclined chutes leading to the wallperforations and the portion of the bottom between said chutesconstituting the closing means for the perforate portions of the wall.

9. A powder dispenser comprising a compartment for loose powder, a wellbelow said compartment, a wall between said well and compartment andperforated adjacent the bottom of the well whereby loose powder may fallfrom said compartment through the perforated portion of said wall, meansfor opening and closing the perforated portion of the said wall, andmeans for closing each end of the well and compartment, the means forclosing the lower end of the well being integral with the wall and themeans for closing the opposite end of the compartment, a bottom for saidcompartment provided with inclined chutes leading to the wallperforations and the portion of the bottom between said chutesconstituting the closing means for the perforateportions of the wall andmen ns for limiting the relative movement between said compartmentbottom and said perforate wall which comprises a pin and slot connectionbetween said compartment bottom and an outer wall of the compartment,arranged with the slot open at one part thereof whereby said limitingmeans constitutes a locking means between said bottom and compartmentwalls. 1

10, A powder dispenser comprising a powder well having walls on thesides thereof and provided with perforations in the walls adjacent thebottom of the'well, a powder compartment around said well on oppositesides thereof and above said perforations, the bottom of saidcompartment sloping toward said perforations for discharging powderthere- .through and a shutter for opening and closing said perforations,

, penser in the hand may facilitate the dis-' charge ofpowder throughsaid perforation.

12. A powder dispenser comprising a powder well, a powder compartment,:1. wall between said compartment and well havinga.

I perforation adjacent the bottom ofthe welland through which powder maybe dis.- charged by gravity, and stationary and movable platescontrolling the quantity of powder discharge with each travel of saidmovable plate.

- 13. A powder dispenser comprising a powder storage means, a surface onwhich powder is discharged to be wiped up by a puff, means fordischarging powder from said storage means on to said surface and meansextending outside said dispenser for controlling said discharge means,said discharge means comprising mechanism adapted to discharge apredetermined quantity of loose powder without inverting said dispenser.

14. A powder-dispenser comprising a powder storage means, a surface onwhich powder is discharged to be wiped up by a puff, means fordischarging powder from said storage means on to said surface and meansextending outside said dispenser for controlling said discharge means,said discharge means comprising mechanism adapted to discharge apredetermined quantity of loose powder which includes three plates whichare upstanding during discharge of powder and at least one of whichplates is movable.

15. A powder dispenser comprising a powder storage means, a surface onwhich powder is discharged to be wiped up by a puff, means fordischarging powder from said storage means on to said surface and meansfor actuating said discharge means, said dis charge means comprisingmechanism adapted to discharge a predetermined quantity of loose powderwhich includes three plates at least one of which plates is movable bysaid actuating means.

16. A loose powder vanity case comprising a compartment for loosepowder, a well extending below said compartment, a wall between saidcompartment and well, and perfo rate adjacent the bottom of the wellwhereby loose powder may fall from said compartment through theperforate portion of the wall into the well, the compartment beingprovided with an inclined chute leading to a perforate portion of thewall and means for opening and closing said wall perforate portion, saidchute being movable with said means.

17. A loose powder vanity case comprising a compartmentfor loose owder,a surface secured thereto and on w ich loose powder is adapted to bedischarged, and means between said surface and said compartment for-,

discharging a predetermined or measured quantity of loose powder ontosaid surface from said compartment.

18. A loose powder vanity case comprising a well adapted to receive apowder pull, a compartment for loose powder disposed laterally withrespect to and on only one side of said well. a side wall betweensaidcompartment and well and having a perforate portion through which loosepowder may be dis charged from the compartment into the well and meansfor opening and closing the perforate portion of said side wall, saidmeans being located on the compartment side of said wall and beingconstructed to agitate the powder in said compartment which iscontiguous said wall, said means also extending out of said compartmentto facilitate actuation thereof.

19. A vanity case for carrying and dispensing loose powder comprising amovable cover, a body portion having a bottom and side walls, acompartment for loose powder within said body portion, a surface fromwhich powder is adapted to be wiped up by a puff and located within saidvanity case between its side walls and below the compartment for gravitydischarge of powder onto saidsurface from said compartment, and meansfor discharging a predetermined and measured quantity of powder ontosaid surface, said means comprising guides for relatively sliding andseparating a portion of the powder from said compartment and means forscraping the powder being separated, said last mentioned means includinga portion of a wall of said compartment.

20. A vanity case for carrying and dispensing loose powder comprising abody portion having a bottom and side walls, a compartment for loosepowder within said body portion and provided with a dischargeopeningadjacent its bottom, a recessed portion below said compartmentfor receiving loose powder discharged by gravity to be wiped up by apuff, said recessed portion being slidable relatively to at least aportion of the powder in said compartment for opening and closingthejcompartment for and against the gravity discharge of powder, thebottom of said recessed portion. being substantially fixed inelevation-with respect to said vanity case walls and powder compartmentduring said relative movement for opening and closing the compartment.

21. A vanity case for carrying and dispensing loose powder comprising amovable cover, a body portion having a bottom and side walls, acompartment for loose powder within said body portion and provided witha discharge opening adjacent its bottom, a

recessed port-ion fixed between the side walls of the vanity case bottomportion below said compartment for receiving loose powder discharged bygravity to be wiped up by a puff, said recessed portion being slidablerelatively to at least a portion of the powder in saidcompartment foropening and closing the compartment for and against the gravitydischarge of powder, the bottom of said recessed portion beingsubstantially fixed in elevation with respect to said vanity case wallsand powder compartment during said relative movement for opening andclosing the compartment.

22. A vanity case for carrying and dispensing loose powder comprising amovable cover portion, a body portionhaving a bottom and side walls, acompartment for loose powder within said body vided with a dischargeopening at the bottom of said compartment, a recessed portion below saidcompartment for receiving loose powder discharged by gravity to be wipedup by a puff, said recessed portion being slidable relatively to atleast a portion of the powder in said compartment for opening andclosing the compartment for and against the gravity discharge of powder,the bottom of said recessed portion constituting a surface from whichpowder is adapted to be wiped up by a pufi and fixed between the sidewalls of said body portion, and during use said wiping surface beingheld adjacent the bottom of said vanity case body portion, the powdercompartment walls being also slidable with respect to at least a ortionof the bottom'of-said vanity case b0 y portion during said firstmentioned relative sliding movement.

GEORGES KLOTZ.

portion and pro-

